There are other passes which include other trains – Trans Aus $855 and the Aus Reef and Outback $980 which includes Queensland. Of the three, you might find the $649 pass more suitable depending on where you will be traveling to.

I live in Scotland
Will be flying London – Perth, then make my way around
Should be leaving with approx. £8000
Will definitely be going the budget traveller route as I plan to head to NZ and across the south pacific after my visa expires.

My boyfriend and I sought to do a very similar thing when we went there, though we had uni to come back to so I’m jealous your ticket is one-way!

We bought a Greyhound pass which is a great method of transport because a lot of their routes can be done overnight (which saves on hostels), but their plans are only one-way – at least they were when we travelled in 2010-2011. This is fine if you’re happy to stick to a set route but if you want some flexibility I would suggest getting a second hand car; this will be particularly good if you’re happy to be flexible with what job you get and where. Similarly, flights across Oz can be a rip-off, which is where the car comes in. We couldn’t find any jobs in the Melbourne area and so flew to Perth and looked for jobs there. Fortunately we had the time and money to explore some of the South-West coastline after working but driving allows you infinite flexibility.

In terms of work, Western Australia has a lot to offer and its a good idea to check online the different harvesting seasons – this will let you know whether there’s any chance of getting work where you are if you plan on doing the 3 months regional (essentially farm) work you need to qualify for a second year’s visa. We did 8 weeks farm work in a town 6hrs inland from Perth, half-way towards a town called Kalgoolie (the names will become familiar once you’re there!) and absolutely loved it. We found that job on Gumtree; a website that backpackers use religiously out there which is rarely used back here in the UK. (Cars are also sold on there, though I would have a research into the facts regarding insurance/quality/good prices because I’m not too familiar with that. Hostels will have ad boards for backpackers selling cars/tents etc too)

The harvest trail reminds me; make sure to find out the typical climates in the different territories in Oz…it sounds stupid but those kind of facts can be forgotten! Equally try and follow the weather news – only loosely, don’t worry too much! – to keep an eye out for floods, bushfires etc. We were in Western Australia in March-May and wanted to head to Darwin/Northern Territory, but locals kindly reminded us that at that time of year the main roads in the region would probably be flooded!

Hostels are your best bet for cheap accommodation. We didn’t manage to couch surf but that was definitely something that people spoke fondly of when they had done it. Some chain hostels (Base, for example) can be incredibly expensive, particularly if there’s big events on (dorm room beds during the Australian Open and the Grand Prix were up to $40AUD/night), so sometimes independent hostels are your best bet. Don’t let that put you off though, it can sometimes be the complete reverse so just do a bit of research a few days in advance and listen to word of mouth…you’ll get the hang of it

Massively long comment, sorry! But I hope it’s useful…am so jealous, you’ll have an incredible time! A budget of £8000 is more fine so long as you work, activities (shark cage diving, bungee jumping, skydiving – do all 3!!) are expensive…we were away for 8 months and spent £8000-10,000 but that was across 4 countries

Cheers for the info! Don’t worry Hannah, the longer the comment the better! Desperate for as many stories as possible so I can figure out my own plan.

I might actually be able to eek it out to £10000 before I leave. I’ve got a cousin in Perth who has kindly offered a spare room in her flat, though I’d like to put in some time in a hostel before I go so meet some new folk and get the chance to hitch a ride to Adelaide or somewhere.

Ddefinitely keen for farm and labour work so will check that out before I go. I’ve just finished my course at uni and was originally intending on going on to study architecture but have instead decided to go globe trotting and then go back to architecture when I’m ready. So any work in the construction industry or design relevant will also be something I’ll be keeping an eye out for.

The thought of buying a camper van or something (mustang would be sexier) to drive and camp out in is very appealing on a budget basis.

After Oz I’m planning on going to NZ then hitching rides on yachts through the south Pacific, with the ultimate aim being to get to Hawaii.